PAS has opposed the government’s decision to ratify the United Nations’ International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), claiming it will infringe on the special position of the Malays.

The Islamist party’s deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said it will be detrimental to the Malays and Bumiputera if the Pakatan Harapan government decides to go ahead with it.

“The action of ratifying the ICERD will touch on several main pillars relating to the special rights of the Malays and Bumiputera which is enshrined under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution and several other laws,” he said in a press conference today.

Earlier today, 100 people led by PAS and Umno leaders protested the government’s plans to ratify the international convention.

Tuan Ibrahim claimed that ratification would result in decriminalising apostasy and would lead to the removal of Islam in the Malaysian identity card.

“The action of ratifying this convention will also lead to apostasy being decriminalised. This is also supported by the demand that the National Registration Act be amended to discard the word Islam from a person’s MyKad,” he said.

PAS also said it was against the new government’s efforts to look into Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw), Convention on the Rights is the Child (CRC), and Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CPRD) as it is not in line with teachings of Islam.

“We demand that the government retain its reservations which it put against Cedaw, CRC and CPRD. This is against the virtues of Islam,” Tuan Ibrahim said.

Last week, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waythamoorthy said the government was committed to ratifying six treaties, including ICERD, in the first quarter of next year.

The minister in charge of national unity and social wellbeing said ratifying ICERD was a way to boost the country’s human rights record, in line with Pakatan Harapan’s general election manifesto.

Waythamoorthy said the government would engage all stakeholders to get feedback on ICERD.

Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa said Putrajaya will not be giving up on Malay and Bumiputera rights by ratifying ICERD.

Mujahid also warned against spreading such a message, which he said could cause racial tensions in the country.

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki previously urged the people to object to the ratification as it would run contrary to protections accorded under Article 153.

The article touches on, among others, the special position of the Malays and Bumiputera, and the legitimate interests of other communities. – October 31, 2018.